All-in-focus implementation

Abstract

Various systems and methods for an all-in-focus implementation are described herein. A system to for operating a camera, comprising an image sensor in the camera to capture a sequence of images in different focal planes, at least a portion of the sequence of images occurring before receiving a signal to store an all-in-focus image, a user interface module to receive, from a user, the signal to store an all-in-focus image, and an image processor to fuse at least two images to result in the all-in-focus image, wherein the at least two images have different focal planes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A camera comprising:
 a camera body; 
 an image sensor carried by the camera body; 
 a display screen carried by the camera body; 
 a shutter button carried by the camera body; 
 at least one storage device; and 
 processor circuitry to execute instructions to:
 cause the image sensor to capture an ordered series of images of a scene, wherein the ordered series of images includes at least four images, the ordered series of images including a first image, a second image, a third image, and a fourth image, the first image having a first base focus point, the second image having a second far focus point, the third image having a third base focus point, and the fourth image having a near focus point, the first base focus point closer to the camera than the second far focus point, and the fourth near focus point closer to the camera than the third base focus point; 
 cause autofocus to be disabled for the second far focus point and the fourth near focus point; 
 cause sequential presentation of, via the display screen, at least one of the first image, the second image following the first image, and the third image following the second image; and 
 cause merging of at least the first image, the second image and the third image to form a resultant image of the scene. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The camera as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to form the resultant image of the scene based on at least the first focus point, the second focus point and the third focus point. 
     
     
       3. The camera as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to select the first image, the second image, the third image and the fourth image to merge. 
     
     
       4. The camera as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to cause the resultant image to be saved. 
     
     
       5. The camera as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to cause the image sensor to capture the series of images of the scene at a particular frame rate. 
     
     
       6. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a camera, cause the camera to at least:
 capture an ordered series of images of a scene, wherein the ordered series of images includes at least four images the ordered series of images including a first image, a second image, a third image, and a fourth image, the first image having a first base focus point, the second image having a second far focus point, the third image having a base focus point, and the fourth image having a near focus point, the first base focus point closer to the camera than the second far focus point, and the fourth near focus point closer to the camera than the base focus point; 
 disable an autofocus feature during capture of the second far focus point and the fourth near focus point; 
 sequentially present on a display screen at least one of the first image, the second image following the first image, and the third image following the second image; and 
 merge at least the first image, the second image and the third image to form a resultant image of the scene, the resultant image to exhibit a depth of focus based on the first focus point, the second focus point and the third focus point. 
 
     
     
       7. The at least one storage device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the camera to capture the ordered series of images of the scene in response to detection of at least one of a full or partial press of a shutter button. 
     
     
       8. The at least one storage device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the camera to save the resultant image. 
     
     
       9. The storage device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause an image sensor to capture the ordered series of images of the scene at a particular frame rate. 
     
     
       10. A camera comprising:
 a camera body; 
 an image sensor carried by the camera body, the image sensor to capture an ordered series of images of a scene, wherein the ordered series of images includes at least four images; 
 processor circuitry to capture the ordered series of images as a first image having a first base focus point, a second image having a second far focus point, a third image having the first base focus point, and a fourth image having a near focus point, the first base focus point closer to the camera body than the second far focus point, and the fourth near focus point closer to the camera body than the first base focus point; 
 the processor circuitry to disable autofocus corresponding to the second far focus point corresponding to the second image, and to disable autofocus corresponding to the fourth near focus point corresponding to the fourth image; 
 a display screen carried by the camera body to sequentially present the first image, the second image following the first image, and the third image following the second image; 
 a shutter button carried by the camera body; and 
 at least one storage device, the processor circuitry to execute instructions to merge at least the first image, the second image and the third image to form a resultant image, the resultant image having an area of focus including at least the first focus point, the second focus point and the third focus point. 
 
     
     
       11. The camera as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the image sensor is to capture the series of images of the scene in response to detection of a press of the shutter button. 
     
     
       12. The camera as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the camera is to save the resultant image. 
     
     
       13. The camera as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the image sensor is to capture the series of images of the scene at a particular frame rate. 
     
     
       14. The camera as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the area of focus has at least one of a first area having at least the first focus point, a second area having at least the second focus point, or a third area having at least the third focus point.